Supplements are recalled for many reasons. Sometimes, it might be because they work as advertised, albeit thanks to ingredients they’re not supposed to have.
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration publicized the voluntary recall of Lockout Supplements’ “Boner Bears Chocolate Syrup.” The product, obviously marketed for sexual enhancement, was pulled for containing undeclared amounts of sildenafil, better known as Viagra. Silly name aside, it is genuinely risky to unknowingly take anything with sildenafil, since it can mix badly with other common medications.
A classic boner
Supplements and other similar wellness products are far less regulated for their safety and effectiveness than drugs. And that leaves them ripe for all sorts of mishaps.
Studies have shown that supplements tend to contain wildly inconsistent doses of the ingredients on their labeling, for example. They might also have worrying contaminants, such as heavy metals or bacteria. Sex-related supplements for men, meanwhile, are regularly found to have clandestine erectile dysfunction drugs like sildenafil and tadalafil, aka Cialis.
The latter problem is so widespread that the FDA routinely tests sexual enhancement supplements for hidden ingredients and maintains a running list of nabbed culprits. On February 13 (aw, romantic), the agency published a notice that it had detected sildenafil in two of Lockout’s boner-branded products: “Boner Bears Chocolate Bars,” sold on the website elyxr.com, and “Boner Bears Chocolate Syrup,” sold directly on the company’s website, lockoutsupplements.com.
It’s harder for the FDA to crack down on unsafe supplements than drugs, but they’re not completely untouchable. And one big no-no is containing actually approved but undeclared drugs. At that point, it’s just fraud.
On February 25, the Texas-based company issued a recall of all lots of its Boner Bear Chocolate Syrup sold between January 2025 and February 2026. It also promised that all customers who purchased the syrup would be entitled to a full refund if returned. In its recall letter, the company further stated if any of its products are flagged by the FDA for containing hidden ingredients, they’re immediately removed from its catalog.
Why it matters
Yes, I have spent about 300 words so far warning Gizmodo readers to stay away from boner products. But there is a real lesson or two here!
Sex-related supplements with undeclared ingredients aren’t just misleading—they’re potentially dangerous. In 2022, for instance, more than 30 people were injured by various “Artri” and “Ortiga” sex aid products that contained steroids, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory drugs.
And while sildenafil and similar drugs are typically safe when taken as instructed, they should never be combined with a popular class of medications used to keep blood pressure under control, called nitrates. Avoiding that risk is obviously harder when you don’t know you’re taking it.
As the FDA noted in its February 13 notice, “This undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.”
Without naming any specific company, it’s important to point out again that sexual enhancement supplements are frequently busted for containing erectile dysfunction drugs. These products aren’t just generally less safe; they’re hardly guaranteed to be effective. It’s no surprise, then, that at least some distributors try to game the system by adding in drugs that are proven to work.
There’s nothing wrong with trying to improve your sexual health. But maybe stay away from anything that hasn’t been—ahem—rigorously tested first.
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